


Family Affairs

by Nexiam



Series: Family Affairs [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-01
Updated: 2014-08-01
Packaged: 2018-02-11 08:43:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2061558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nexiam/pseuds/Nexiam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry Potter is having trouble with his marriage, and his kids desperately want to help. Will they be able to help their father regain the happiness he deserves, or are they in way over their heads? Perhaps a certain dungeon bat can provide them with answers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Falling Apart

**Author's Note:**

> I was having trouble with this series, so I deleted all of it, but no worries, I'm in the process of reposting. Sorry for the inconvenience :] Oh, and feel free to comment on whatever you feel necessary. I'll read them all and respond post haste. Thank you for reading, enjoy :]

She's late again.

Harry curled up next to the window in his sitting room, staring out into the night as he waited for his wife to come home to him. _If she comes home._ He thought bitterly. Ever since the war ended and their kids were grown enough to go to Hogwarts, Ginny had been staying out later and later with her friends, leaving her husband to wait for her return, alone.

There were many nights that she didn't come back at all, her excuse being that she was too smashed to apparate, so she crashed at her friend's house. Harry was well aware that she had never given this friend a name, but he let it go. After so many years of war and conflict, the thought of starting a fight with his own wife was nauseating. He just wanted to live a happy, normal life. Was that too much to ask?

Just as he thought of giving up and going to bed, he heard the distinct _**crack**_ of apparition. He thought about throwing the door open and asking where she had been all night, but he knew what she would say. _'I was just out with friends, Harry. Calm down.'_

For some reason, he never bought that excuse, but he always accepted it without any more complaints. Well, not any that he'd voiced, anyway.

Instead, he remained by the window, eyes focused on the darkness surrounding their quaint little house.

She almost didn't see him. "Harry!" When he didn't turn his head, she stepped closer. "Love, what are you doing awake? I thought you'd be asleep by now." She started to lay a hand on his shoulder, but paused as he stiffened. "Harry...?"

"G'night, Gin." Without even a glance in her direction, he dragged himself up the stairs and into his sons' room.

Harry often found himself in his boys' room whenever he needed to get away from Ginny. It was comforting to be surrounded by the things that he had grown accustomed to in his youth. His eyes scanned the multi-colored room in amusement, remembering when the three had discussed what color to make it. James had automatically decided on red to support his love of Gryffindor, while Teddy and Albus voted on blue. At the time, they had simply liked the color blue, but once Albus was sorted, the choice became more than a little ironic. Harry brushed his fingers across the empty broom rack near the door. All of his children had a fondness for Quidditch, which caused pride to swell in his chest. Just the thought of the sport being a family custom was enough to cheer him up and nearly forget his marital problems. He stepped over to the bookcase filled with books of several different kinds, each one belonging to a different child. 

The books of spells belonged to his adopted son, Teddy. That boy was always attempting to create new spells to cast. Most of them were meant for practical things, made to make the lives of witches and wizards alike more easy and comfortable. One such project was to find a way to lessen the after affects of apparating. 

All of the books on potions and history of magic belonged to his youngest boy, Albus Severus. He had a passion for learning, but much to Harry's surprise, he was very much like his name sake, often found with his nose in a potions book. He - much like Teddy - delighted in creating new things. Currently, he was working on making potions taste better while not warping the affects of the brews.

The rest of the books were on Quidditch and heroes of legends. These belonged to his first born son, James Sirius. James delighted in the fame and attention that Harry shied away from for so many years. He would often tell his father that he wanted to track down all of the remaining Death Eaters and do away with them for good so that he could be a legend, just like the famous Harry Potter; his own father. In fact, Harry received many fire calls from the Headmistress about how his boy was forcing the older students to show him their forearms. _Oh, James. What am I going to do with you?_

Harry smiled and shook his head. He was very proud of his boys, and had worked hard to provide them with the love that he had lacked growing up. So far, he felt like he had done a fairly good job. None of them ever got into trouble, with the exception of James; that boy went looking for it. They were all kind and never picked on any of the other children, and James even stood up for many of the students at school when they were picked on. Harry sighed and ran his fingers through his thick, untamed hair. At least his boys still loved him.

He brushed his fingers over the books, his eyes unconsciously searching for one in particular. He knew it wouldn't be there, but oh how his fingers itched to touch its binding again. It had been a long time since he had read the notes left by the Half Blood Prince, and his eyes longed to trace each stroke of every word. Something about the intelligence and biting sarcasm of the notes written in the school's text book drew him in, swaddling him in comfort and knowledge. If only it had advice for him on relationships...

"Harry...?"

Another quiet sigh escaped his lips at the sound of his wife's voice. He didn't really want to talk to her just yet, but he couldn't put it off forever. He just wanted answers. Would she provide him with any? He shook his head at his own question. Probably not, but it was worth a try, if not for his own happiness, then for his children's.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Severus Snape enjoyed stalking the halls at night, hoping to catch students out of beds past curfew; however, ever since the Boy-Who-Lived and his band of misfits left the school, everything had grown rather quiet. How insufferable. Even with the boy out of his life, he was denied his simple pleasures. He thought that with the war over, he could finally live in peace, but it was turning out to be a lot more trouble that he had imagined.

He was about to turn on his heel and sweep back to his rooms in a flurry of black robes, when he heard whispering in one of the empty classrooms. A sneer crossed his features almost instantly; the snarky dungeon master was back. He placed his hand on the door and sifted through his most venomous remarks to throw at the rule breakers, but before he could burst in to catch the children red handed, a name caught his attention: "...the famous Harry Potter."

His hand froze on the door and he leaned in closer, straining to hear the conversation better.

"Albus, you can brew all day, but it isn't going to help us any!"

Snape recognized the voice instantly. It was James Potter, one of the most curious students he's had since Harry's time. Severus found himself torn between revering the boy and locking him in detention for the rest of his years at Hogwarts. The child caused him no end of pain, but just when he thought he could take the young Potter's abuses no more, he would stand up for his old Potions Professor, turning him into a hero. It truly was bewildering.

"Calm down, James. Just let him continue, and you know how we hate when people call dad that."

Ah, so the Lupin child is there as well. He never minded Remus's young boy. He was usually quiet and resigned, something Snape valued in anyone young or old, and he made some of the highest marks in his classes - even higher than Ms. Granger had ever managed. Of course, that might have had a lot to do with her association with Mr. Potter. He often wondered what he would have thought of the girl had she made more suitable companions.

"I'm almost done. I promise, this batch will fix all of our problems."

Albus, the youngest boy of the Potters. Snape wasn't sure what to make of this child either. Half of the time, the boy reminded him of his old Headmaster, causing him to cringe at the memories that struggled to the surface of his conscience; however, more often than not, Severus found himself to be proud of what this Potter child has become. As a matter of fact, Snape saw a little of himself in Albus. _Well, he does share your name._ This thought never ceased to amaze him. He still wasn't sure what to make of that knowledge. That the famous Harry Potter would name his youngest son after the greasy dungeon bat of Hogwarts was just short of appalling, but it made Severus' heart grow warm. _You're getting soft in your old age._ His sneer came back in full force, this time aimed at himself.

"Al, I don't think it's right to give them a love potion..."

_Well, this is a treat, indeed! It seems as if I've caught the whole Potter clan out after hours!_ Perhaps he shouldn't take points away from their houses. Lily was, after all, in Slytherin, and Snape wasn't known for deducting points from his own house. He wasn't particularly fond of the youngest Potter child, but he was always protective over his own students; besides, she so resembled his Lily from so many years ago. Time after time he attempted to push that thought out of his mind, for he couldn't have himself falling for a student - not again - but as he got to know the girl, he came to realize that he could never love another Lily. As much as he had cared for her grandmother in their childhood, his heart had latched onto one, and only one other person since...but he refused to think about _him_.

He reluctantly dragged himself out of his thoughts and focused back onto the conversation.

"Well what else are we going to do!?" James never was good at keeping control of his emotions. _Just like his father..._ Snape mused. _And his grandfather._ That thought made him cringe.

There was silence for a moment, and Severus considered stepping in on them, when he heard Albus speak up.

"Maybe it would be better if they just...broke up."

This time, the silence was deafening. Who were they talking about? Surely they couldn't be talking about their parents. Could Harry be falling out of love with the Weasley girl? He dare not hope such a thing, but what if it were true? _No!_ He admonished himself. The boy was faithful and loyal. Hell, he had even gone back to the Shrieking Shack to save Snape's life! Anyone else would have left him to die. _Anyone else DID leave you to die._ He reminded himself. But who would need the potion then? Ginerva? Even Snape couldn't imagine the Weasley girl ever leaving the famous Harry Potter. If he remembered correctly, she had been pining over the boy ever since she came to Hogwarts. It was sickening.

"Dad's already heartbroken."

Snape's heart froze. Harry's hurting? Why? He silently cursed himself for being so out of the loop when it came to the boy, but he had been trying so hard to get over his unrequited love. Who would have imagined that the young man would still feel so much pain, even after the war had been fought and won.

"I think we should just let them handle this one. We're still just kids, and we really shouldn't butt into their business." 

"IT'S OUR BUSINESS TOO, TEDDY! THEY'RE OUR PARENTS! THEY CAN'T DO THIS TO US!"

Severus mentally sighed. Something really needed to be done about that boy's temper.

"James, there's nothing else we can do. Albus, your idea was a good one, but Teddy's right. We need to let this run its course. I'm sure it will all turn out for the better."

Perhaps Snape could over look the children's lack of respect for the rules this night. They were obviously dealing with a lot of stress, and detentions would only add to the problems. _You're going soft._ He almost growled at his own admission. _Or maybe you're just soft on the Potters?_ Unable to stand it any longer, he silently stalked off, promising himself that he would get to the bottom of whatever is going on with Harry, but first, he needed to drown out the annoying, persistent voice inside of his head. His personal stores should be of some assistance to that end.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

James helped his little brother pack away his things, then they very quietly made their way back to their dorms. The boys said goodnight to their sister at the turn that would lead down to the dungeons for the Slytherin common room, and continued on, constantly weary of getting caught.

After dropping Albus off at the staircase that lead to his dorm in the Ravenclaw tower, Teddy and James made their way to the Gryffindor common room and sat in front of the fire.

"Teddy...?"

The older boy glanced over at his brother, waiting for him to continue. When he did not, he laid his hand on the young boy's shoulder encouragingly. "What's wrong, James?"

"Do you think it's wrong to be angry at mum for what she's doing to dad?"

Teddy mulled the question over for a moment, wondering what he should tell his brother to make him feel better. He settled for the truth. "I think what she's doing is wrong. We're supposed to be a family, but with her out every night with...her friend...maybe it would be best for them to just go their separate ways." He sighed and ran his fingers through his burgundy hair.

James eyed his brother's hair as it slowly changed colors. For some reason, he had always found it comforting to watch the older boy's hair as it slowly drifted from shades of blue, to green, to pink, and any other color it seemed to be partial to at that moment. Teddy's hair truly was a thing of wonder. He shook his head to force his thoughts back to the topic at hand. 

The children had found out about where their mother had been going and with whom she had been spending so much time with. None of them had the heart to tell their father, but judging by his sunken cheeks, the dark circles under his eyes and the slump in his posture, they were pretty sure he had put two and two together. They were supposed to go visit their parents tomorrow to check up on them for the weekend, but he wasn't so sure he wanted to if this was still going on. They had even discussed staying at Hogwarts for Christmas vacation, but none of them could abandon their dad like that, especially on Christmas.

"I hate this." He finally said, struggling to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. He really and truly hated this. He hated his mum for hurting their family, he hated his dad for letting her do this to them, and he hated that guy for breaking up their family. "We have to talk to dad. I don't want to do this anymore, Ted. I want us to be a happy family again. Let's make him come visit us tomorrow instead of us going home."

Teddy smiled and nodded, turning his amber eyes back to the hearth's fire. "I think that would be a splendid idea. He could use a good break from...everything." He could never forget the first time he noticed the signs of their father's depression. During the last summer break, the man had practically lived in their bedroom, claiming that he just wanted time to spend with his boys. By then, they had already figured out what their mum had been doing behind their backs, but none of them had ever plucked up the courage to talk to him about it.

Almost every night, their dad would come into their bedroom and play Wizard's Chess or Exploding Snaps, and they would talk about school and adventures that their father had when he was in their years. James especially loved the stories. He devoured the fame that came with their family name, and he practically glowed when people noticed the famous Harry Potter was out for a stroll with the kids. The oldest Potter child enjoyed every second of it, much to his father's dismay. Teddy and Albus tolerated the photographers that occasionally chased them around, but they'd never liked it like James always had, and Lily was even less tolerable. 

Another smile crept across the boy's face as he thought of his sister. She had screamed bloody murder when the reporters first started following her around with her boyfriend Scorpius. All over the Daily Prophet there were pictures of the two with stories of how amazing it was that the children of the old school rivals had gotten together. Teddy had heard that Scorpius's father was torn between pride that his only child was in the newspapers right next to a Potter, and disgust that his son had chosen Lily, though the fact that she had been housed in Slytherin seemed to make it a little more agreeable for his stomach.

That was another thing that had the public in an uproar about the Potters. When Teddy had first been sorted, it seemed that no one was surprised when the hat called out, "Gryffindor!" Then the following year James had been called into the same house, again surprising no one. Another year went by and it was Albus's turn. Everyone expected the youngest Potter son to join his two brothers in Gryffindor, but instead..."Ravenclaw!" Teddy remembered how quiet the hall had grown when his brother's new house was called, and Albus nearly cried under the scrutiny. That is, until James and Teddy jumped to their feet with proud applause for their dearest little brother, everyone else following suit. Two more years passed and it was finally little Lily's turn to be sorted. This time, everyone wondered what would happen. With two of the three previous Potters in Gryffindor, there was no telling where the youngest child would end up, and when the hat finally spoke, "Slytherin!" No one knew what to think. A Potter in Slytherin? It was unimaginable, but anyone who knew Harry Potter intimately, also knew that he was originally to be placed in Slytherin, so Lily's brothers once again led the applause as she joined her house at their table. Poor Hufflepuff would go without a Potter.

Teddy was pushed out of his memories by a snoring, slumping James against his shoulder. He smiled and pulled out his wand to levitate his brother to bed, when a thought occurred to him, not for the first time. The press is going to have a field day when they catch wind that the famous Harry Potter's wife is cheating on him with another bloke. He could only imagine what his father would think. He would be mortified that the world was once again clued into his personal life. He'd be worried that his children would be hurt by all of the attention, even the fame seeking James would be upset that everyone was talking so negatively about his family. This simply would not do. Teddy had to think about a solution. There was no way that they would be able to hold off the press when everything hit the fan, but if he could find someone for his dad, someone more worthy of the Potter family's love, maybe the press would be more happy to cover a story of Harry Potter's new love interest, and drop the snide accusations that are sure to arrive about the Weasely girl's betrayal! Yes, this was the perfect plan, but his father would never go on a date, not while Ginny was still around. 

Maybe it was a good idea after all to have him come to Hogwarts for the weekend. There were several new teachers at the school that his dad could be interested in, and many of them would pine for the famous Boy-Who-Lived's attention. 

Wait...that wouldn't work. Teddy knew perfectly well that he couldn't stand anyone like that, but maybe there was someone at the school who could win his father's affections without doing it just for the fame. Fame was, after all, the reason they were in this mess. 

The young boy grinned mischievously as his mind concocted his plans to get his father a new love interest. His eyes flicked over to his sleeping little brother, and his grin morphed into a caring smile for the beloved young boy. He carefully tucked James in, and headed to his own bed, his mind once more at ease now that he had a plan. Things would be fine, he just knew it. He only needed to find someone for his father to be with...but whom? He shook his head, there would be time enough for that in the morning. Right now he needed to focus on convincing their dad to come to Hogwarts for the weekend. Things would look better in the morning. He just knew it.


	2. Meet the Weasleys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry comes face to face with his own misfortune, but finds relief in the one constant his life has ever afforded him.

Harry awoke with a start.

He glanced around, taking a moment to let his eyes adjust as he recalled the events of the previous night. _Right...Ginny had come home late. Again._ He pulled himself up off of his youngest son's bed and stretched out his strained muscles, wondering what to do with his day off since he would doubtlessly be alone. A set of weary emerald orbs took in the contents of the young Potters' room once again, looking for any signs that Ginny had at least come to check on her husband in the middle of the night. She hadn't.

The two had only shared a brief spat through the door before Ginny had given up on her husband for the night and retreated to her own room, leaving Harry to his own devices.

The young man dropped back onto the bed and closed his eyes in thought, going over his options and attempting to ignore the pain in his chest. Ron and Hermione had said that they would be out of town visiting Charlie in Romania along with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Neville and Luna were probably working, and Harry didn't feel quite desperate enough to see Draco, which only left Dean and Seamus, but they seemed to be avoiding him. While Harry had a good idea as to why his old school mates were trying so hard to make sure their paths never crossed, he just wasn't prepared to have his suspicions confirmed.

After a few more depressing moments of contemplation, he decided to go for a walk down Diagon Alley and wing it from there. Satisfied with his half baked plan, Harry swung his feet down to the wooden floor, his toes instantly curling away from the cold, and made his way back downstairs to make himself some breakfast, listening for any signs that his wife was still in the house. _She probably left the second the sun was up to go back to..._ He couldn't bring himself to finish the thought.

Harry soon became certain that he was alone in his house as he stepped into his kitchen, the silence quickly growing oppressive. His hands itched to begin the ritualistic practice of his daily breakfast, but his stomach just wasn't into it. Instead, he showered, dressed, and stepped into his fireplace, tossing in Floo Powder and quietly calling out, "Diagon Alley..."

Once he was brushed clean, Harry stepped into the bustling streets of the magical London town, and weaved through the crowd with no particular direction in mind. Before he could settle on a certain locale, he noticed something interesting on an abandoned piece of the Daily Prophet. He reached down and picked up the stray paper, his fingers nearly trembling as they ghosted over the face of his old Potions professor. 

**_"Severus Snape - former Death Eater gone spy - is to be cleared of previous indictments and granted with the Order of Merlin, First Class today at the new Grand Hall Ball, recently constructed by owner Draco Malfoy!"_**

The newspaper floated to the ground, the moving picture of Severus Snape glowering at the photographers on the front page as Harry quickly pushed his way to the Grand Hall Ball. Upon his arrival, he suddenly realized what would happen if he were to show up at the professor's celebration. Past experiences had taught the young man that reporters would easily abandon a story, no matter how pressing, to get in a good picture or two of the Boy-Who-Lived-To-Become-A-Man. The last thing he wanted to do was take the attention away from Snape, so he kept to the shadows, wishing that he had his father's old invisibility cloak with him.

Once inside, he swiftly planted himself in an empty corner of the room and waited, keeping his distance from anyone that walked by and taking in the magnificence of his surroundings. The Malfoys had once again gone all out to display their wealth, but with a dark past like theirs, it came as no surprise to Harry. 

The ceiling was enchanted, much like the ceiling in the Great Hall at Hogwarts, only this one depicted several rich, swirling colors that seemed to brighten the room more than any light bulb ever could. The walls were draped with the infamous colors of the Slytherin house - more likely to befit Draco than Severus - and silver snakes with red eyes glittered across the moldings. Tables were set up all across the room with name plates for all of the most honored guests and their dates, and once again Harry decided that it was more for the Malfoys' benefit than anything. 

From his perch in the back corner, the young Gryffindor couldn't find any familiar faces, not even Snape's, but he supposed it was for the best; the last thing he wanted was for someone to spot him and draw a crowd. He idly wondered if anyone was actually there for the Potions Master, but it seemed highly unlikely. 

_I'm here for you, Severus._ He was slightly surprised that he thought of his old professor in such a way, but it felt familiar and warm, so Harry let the thought be. Finally, the lights dimmed, and everyone flitted back to their seats.

A middle-aged witch stepped up onto a raised platform and cast a Sonorous Charm so that she could be heard in the back of the elegant hall. "Welcome, everyone, to the celebration to honor Professor Severus Tobias Snape of the Prince family line who is here tonight to receive the Order of Merlin, First Class! First, let's hear a little from the man of the hour, Draco Malfoy!"

Everyone, with the exception of Harry, clapped profusely for the young Malfoy as he took to the podium, his face just as smug as ever. It was a good thing that the cheers were so loud, otherwise Harry's snort would have echoed off of the walls, giving away his location instantly. Malfoy raised his hand, and the room grew silent once more.

"Thank you. We're so very glad that you could all come to see my god father receive this prestigious award, and I personally will see to it that each and every one of you get the chance to enjoy yourselves here, tonight. We will be serving fine wine straight from our own personal vineyards in Italy, as well as the best meals you will probably ever have." Good god, that boy really needed a beating. "Without further ado, I'd like to present Severus Snape with the Order of Merlin, First Class." Harry was glad to see that Draco was at least able to display genuine pride in his god father, even if his stuffy, withheld clap was nothing to write home about.

Snape glided onto the platform in his trademark black robes and sent a glare at the audience that seemed to leave them all frozen, but Harry only smiled. _Same as ever._ He was glad to see that some things never changed. The older man looked as if he would rather be anywhere else at that moment, as he was never one for crowds...as a matter of fact, he was never really a _people_ person. Still, it was nice to see that the man was finally getting some recognition for all of the dangerous undercover work that he did for the Order.

Harry found his eyes sliding down Snape's neck, tracing the lines of a scar left by Nagini's poisonous bite that should have been fatal, had the spy not been thoroughly prepared for such an occasion. Before he could raise his gaze back up to his professor's eyes, Harry's attention moved lower, and he felt a blush creep to his cheeks at the realization that he was checking out his old nemesis. Well, Severus did have quite the figure, and the young Gryffindor never had a particular preference for gender, but it still came as a bit of a surprise as he found his lower extremities reacting so strongly to the sight.

Suddenly, Harry felt a heavy gaze drape across him like a woolen blanket, and his eyes once again raised to meet Snape's. _Crap._

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Severus Snape was never a man for such tripe pleasantries as celebrations, regardless of whose honor they were in, but his god son's incessant prattling did not take long to strike a nerve, and he soon found himself in a ballroom much too ostentatious for his liking. A quick glance around the extravagance showed him that not one person present was there for him, which both relieved and annoyed him. Of course, the one time he finally receives acknowledgment for his dangerous work as a spy, not one person he knows shows up; or at least, that's what he thought.

Once upon the podium, a pair of bright green eyes quickly caught his attention, and he found his breath was suddenly caught in his throat. _Potter_ was there...to see _him?_ No, that couldn't possibly be it. _He was probably drawn by the crowd. An attempt at landing himself in the papers, no doubt._

Resigned to his decision, Severus began his speech, which lasted all of two minutes. "I did not need recognition to know that what I did was right, but this award will not go unnoticed." He nodded and quickly stepped down, retreating to his previous post while making sure he could still keep a good eye on his former student. 

The boy looked _amused,_ and his emerald green eyes met Snape's limpid pools of black just long enough for a genuine smile to touch the young Gryffindor's lips before he slipped out as inconspicuously as possible. Why did he have to sneak out? Wasn't the boy there simply for attention? _Then why would he avoid everyone?_

Ignoring his inner voice, Severus decided that he would have to ask the young _man_ about it later. He'd have to remind himself that the boy had grown, at least as far as outward appearances went. While Potter's eyes were obviously still capable of mirth and mischief, Severus didn't miss how tired they had grown. As a matter of fact, everything that the potion master was able to make out of his former student bordered exhaustion. He was still alert enough to make it in and out of a crowd of witches and wizards and the paparazzi without once drawing a single eye... _Except your own._

"Severus!"

Severus turned his attention to his god son who was clearly pissed beyond control, and frowned. "What is it, Draco?"

"Don't give me that look! I'm not your student any longer. Don't you...don't forget it...Sev'rus!"

It always amazed Severus how his young god son was able to get so drunk while still managing to look as if there was no better wizard alive than himself. _Learned it from his father, no doubt._ "Have you forgotten, _Mister Malfoy_ that you are the _host_ of this affair, and as such should be carrying yourself in a more dignified manner?"

Draco seemed to mull it over for a moment, but was interrupted from opening his mouth to respond as his wife stepped forward and slipped her hand through his arm. 

"There you are, Drakey!" Severus barely managed to keep the amusement from his face as Draco winced at his wife's pet name for him.

The older man nodded to his god son's wife. "Astoria. A pleasure to see you, again. How is young Scorpius?"

She smiled politely at her husband's god father, her smooth, brown hair brushing against Draco as she reclined her head onto his shoulder. "He's doing very well, thank you, Professor, especially after your help in Potions."

It wasn't exactly heard of that Severus Snape give anyone extra lessons in any of his classes, but the boy was practically family, and a Slytherin at that. Snape had no particular reason to deny the child extra tutoring, even if he was nearly hopeless in the field of Potions. _Worse than Potter, even._ Severus nearly smirked at the thought.

The young Malfoy wasn't nearly as good as his father had been, as Draco had received only the second best marks in his year - second only to Granger, - but he reminded Severus of his god son in almost every other way. While he wasn't quite as nasty as Draco had been at his age, he certainly had the looks. His hair was platinum blonde with eyes of steel grey and skin as pale as a muggle after placed under a Cruciatus Curse. His attitude, however, he must have gotten from his mother, Astoria Greengrass. It still surprised Severus that Draco had chosen to marry the young Slytherin girl, though even he had to admit that the young man had grown softer as the war progressed. _It's a good thing, too._ Severus had to agree. Had Draco killed Albus rather than himself, the consequences would have been unimaginably worse. No, it was better this way.

"If you'll excuse me, I had better help Drakey sober up so that we can attend to our guests. Do enjoy yourself, Professor!"

Snapped out of his thoughts, Snape nodded, but decided to apparate home; there was nothing more for him to do at the gathering anyway, and he had a lot on his mind.

Severus pulled off his dress robes and perched himself on his favorite arm chair in front of the hearth, his mind already churning over recent events. So, Potter is having problems at home, and his children wish to do something about it, but exactly what is going on that has his former student so utterly exhausted? The last time the boy... _man_ had looked so lost had been during the end of the last war. What was going on? Wasn't a normal family life what the boy had always wanted? Was it simply not enough anymore? Had he become too accustomed to the dangers of his life at school that he could no longer fit in a natural world?

Then, there was the fact that it had been over ten years since he had last seen the oldest Potter brat, so why was he so interested in Severus' life all of a sudden? It just didn't make sense. Perhaps he was attempting to find normalcy - or as normal as things ever were in the young man's life. The Weasleys are no doubt out of town more often than not, if rumors spread by the young Weasley children were anything to go by, and Mister Longbottom - or _Lovebottom_ as he wishes to be called now-a-days - is kept quite busy with his work at the school. _That_ boy is another mystery in himself. Who in their right mind would call themself _Lovebottom?!_

As he was alone in his own home, Severus felt no need to suppress his snort. How the students of Potter's year made it through their school career was beyond him, but at least _Lovebottom_ seemed to be a decent instructor. _Better than he ever was as a student, surely._ Getting back to the matter at hand, he sifted through what he knew of his former students, but came up empty. From what he could recall, none of them would have much time for the famous Harry Potter, so perhaps that's why he went searching for Severus?

That leaves the Potter children to deal with. While the youngest boy was surely a pleasure to have in his class, as he had a brilliant mind for potions - though Snape would never tell him as much - the other three were nearly a mystery to him. 

Snape had heard the other teachers talk about how the oldest Potter boy - James was it? - liked to get into trouble - obviously had his father's genes running rampant in him - but he had never crossed Severus personally. That in itself was a surprise, as most students, while attempting to avoid Snape's infamous temper, targeted him personally. Of all people, James Potter Junior had certainly been on Snape's list of unruly brats to be on the look out for, but not once had he been disrespectful to his Potions professor.

The youngest Potter, Lily - why did he have to name her after _his_ Lily?! - had been sorted into Slytherin, much to everyone's surprise, but she seemed to keep a low profile. The only things Snape had heard of her had to do with Scorpius, and that wasn't the type of information that the older man liked to pay attention to.

Which left Theodore Lupin. _Potter,_ his mind reminded him. That's right, the Lupin boy had been left to Potter. That boy was as quiet as his father had been, and while his metamorphmagus abilities were certainly eye-catching, he wasn't the show off that his mother had always been. He didn't seem to show any signs of werewolf transformation like his father, and his emotions always seemed to be in control, so Snape doubted the boy would have the same worries that the older Lupin had lived with.

_Nothing!_ Nothing was fully explaining Potter's new found attentions. Perhaps he was making too much of this. Without the war to keep his mind on edge, he could have latched on to the first puzzle that presented itself, which so happened to be Harry Potter. Of _course_ it was Harry Potter. It was _always_ Harry Potter.

Well, he would return to his classes soon, and he could always keep his eyes and ears open for any more rumors that might solve this quandary. Yes, he would worry about it later.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Victoire Weasley sat next to her boyfriend Teddy in the Hogwarts courtyard, discussing Teddy's adopted father. 

"So, is he going to come?" Victoire ran her beautiful pale fingers through her long, blonde hair as she leaned against Teddy, trying her best to control her Veela tendencies to impress her love.

Teddy smiled and nodded, slipping his hand around his girlfriend's waist. "He'll be here soon, actually."

The eldest Weasley child sat up and stared at the oldest Potter with worry. 

Knowing instantly what had changed her demeanor so quickly, Teddy moved to pull her close once more. "It's alright, he accepts us, remember? It's James who has a problem with it." He heard Victoire sigh, but she made no move to get up, so he went on. "It's nice that he always sees me as family, but everyone knows that I'm not blood related to you. They may be fourth cousins to you, but I'm not. Not by blood."

"Fourth cousins once removed." Victoire corrected with a smile.

"Right." He smiled and nodded. "How are your siblings taking it? I don't get to see them often. Uncle Bill and aunt Fleur don't drop by our house all that much."

Victoire sighed again and moved her eyes over the beautiful scenery that Hogwarts so graciously provided. She frowned at the sight of the Whomping Willow as she answered. "Dominique is more interested in her own suitors than she is in mine, though she has expressed very little concern on the matter. She is my little sister, after all...she should know that I can decide on whom I should or should not love."

"And Louis?"

The young Weasley smiled at the thought of her baby brother standing up for her relationship so firmly. "He seems to be cheering us on, I think. Him and your Lily, of course."

Teddy couldn't keep the wide smile from forming on his face, his good mood smoothly morphing his hair from the dark blue that it had been to a sandy brown. He had often been told that it was his blood father's hair color. The thought only made his smile grow. It was no surprise that Victoire's sister and brother wouldn't be against their relationship; it would be against their nature as Hufflepuffs to do so, but he still wished his own brother could be happy for him. At least Albus didn't seem to mind.

"Sister!" Teddy looked up as a clan of Weasley children made their way across the grounds to them. He had nearly forgotten how big his family really was!

Louis led the group, as he often did when they were together. He often reminded Teddy of a young general preparing for war. Everyone had a feeling that he would one day be the next Minister of Magic, and he would surely be a far better Minister than they could ever remember having before, but that wouldn't be for a long time yet, as he had only been sorted this year. 

Just behind him was his older sister, Dominique. While most people saw her as a vain young lady, her family knew better. It was true that her looks were very important to her, but more often than not, she used them for persuasion, which was very useful for all those involved. She always seemed to follow her little brother around, though. Whether it was to protect him, or to use her _skills_ to his advantage, no one was sure, but she was still a pleasure to have around.

Roxanne Weasley, youngest child and only daughter of George and Angelina Weasley, stood beside Dominique. The two were nearly inseperable, though Roxanne was much better at running the Rumor Mill than using her looks to her advantage - not to say that she certainly could if she wanted. Her older brother, Fred II, stood next to his younger cousin Rose, daughter of Ron and Hermione Weasley. Fred had entered Hogwarts the same year as Teddy, though he was much like his namesake, and placed his cares more in tricks and pranks than in his schooling. Rose was the same, much to her mother's dismay. They often fought about the importance of school, causing Rose to floo to her cousin Fred II to work more on their pranks until she was calm enough to return home. Her fights with her mother were legendary.

Molly II and her younger sister Lucy made up the middle of the Weasley pack. They had both entered Hogwarts after Teddy; Molly in James' year and Lucy in the year after Albus. Both of them excelled in all of their classes, probably due to their father - it must be difficult to have Percy as a father. They often used their brains to the Weasley clan's advantage, making sure that their father knew nothing of their activities at school, for he would more than likely have kittens were he to find out.

Hugo, the youngest Weasley, brought up the rear. He was probably the only shy one in the bunch, and was often found alone. Teddy had heard that he was always attempting to please his father, but Ron was put off by the young Weasley's taste in mates. He couldn't possibly be the only gay Weasley in the history of the Weasley family, could he? Teddy shook his head at the thought, and made a mental note to try to console his cousin, later. For now, he needed to address the issue at hand, whatever that was.

Victoire stood as her family approached, refusing to let go of her beau's hand. "What's with the gathering?"

Louis, ever the one to get right to the heart of the matter, grinned up at his big sister. "We're here to help uncle Harry!"

Teddy stared down at his cousin in surprise. "Help? Help how?"

The young Weasley boy patted his chest in pride. "I know about aunt Ginny. We all do. We're going to help uncle Harry find a new wife!"

The eldest Potter boy just managed to hold back his laugh at Louis' ardor. "Alright, tell me what you have in mind."

"Get your brothers and sister here, and we'll tell you just what we've planned for uncle Harry's visit to the castle."

Teddy had a bad feeling about this, but any help was good help, he supposed. This was going to be a long day...


	3. The Seeker's Keeper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so the children begin phase 1 of their plan, Harry being none the wiser. Will they find true love for their father, or will they need a little help from a certain resident Potions Master?

The skies around Hogwarts were crystal clear, and a cool breeze danced in the air, delighting Hugo Weasley as he sat quietly, waiting for his prey. Never in a million years had Hugo thought that he would ever end up at the famous wizarding school. It's true, of course, that all of the Weasleys were accepted there, but he shouldn't have been; the only squib at Hogwarts was Mr. Filch, and Hugo definitely didn't want to be like him.

So deep in his musings, the youngest Weasley didn't hear when his cousin joined him on the edge of the fountain. “Did you fight with your dad, again?”

Hugo glanced over at Teddy and nodded sadly. “Yea. He thinks that my sexual orientation is a side effect of my lack of magic.”

“But your magic is awake, now. Headmistress McGonagall knew instantly that it was just dormant, right? If it's back, how could he possibly still believe that?”

The young ginger shrugged, sighing heavily. “He thinks it's lingering. It's not a malady, Ted, I can't help what I feel!”

Teddy could feel the desperation in his cousin's voice, and quietly pulled him into a hug. “I know. He'll come around. I'm sure of it.” The young Potter didn't have to look to know that his hair shifted to a dark orange shade, as it was prone to do when he grew closer to the Weasley family.

“Hey, what's going on?” Both boys looked up quickly to find Harry walking toward them, his face harboring excitement at getting to see his kids again, and worry that something was wrong with young Hugo. Putting aside the former in light of the latter, Harry pulled his older boy and the youngest Weasley into his arms, hugging them profusely.

Hugo's smile couldn't possibly get any bigger. He was always happy when his uncle Harry was around because he had instantly understood and accepted Hugo's feelings when he had come forward. “Nothing new, Uncle.”

Harry nodded in understanding and ruffled his nephew's hair. “Don't worry about it too much, alright? Your mother is always there to defend you, and your dad is just being stubborn. He'll come around, he always does.”

While bathing in his uncle's affections, Hugo pulled out his enchanted paper airplane, and let it silently soar to its target, making sure his movement went unnoticed. Now, he just needed to stall for a while. “Uncle, can I show you some magic that I'm learning? I'm still not very strong at casting, but it's more than I could do as a squib!”

The boy's uncle smiled and nodded at his energetic, little nephew. He could remember how devastated Hermione and Ron were when they discovered that their youngest child was born without magic. The old healer that delivered the Weasley twins had suggested that Rose's magic fed off of Hugo's while they were growing in the womb together. Harry had suspected as much too, though his inexperience in such things as birth and magic bonds had led him to dismiss his theory until a professional had brought it to light.

As Hugo aged, Ron had pitied him, as if he had been born with a fatal illness. Harry had tried to snap his friend out of it, but being born in such a big family of witches and wizards really hadn't prepared Ron for such a child. As a result, Hugo spent more and more time at Harry's house with his cousins rather than at home under his father's disappointed gaze. To Hermione, her son's lack of magic made no difference to her; she loved him all the same, though she had been raised in a muggle family, so it was more common for her to take care of a magically inept baby than it was to raise a witch.

With Ron practically raising Rose in the traditional wizard way, she turned out more like him while her brother turned out like Hermione. Baby Rose had a talent for magic, but a mind for pranks, while her little twin brother was more mind over magic. Then came the day Hugo realized that he really was more different than he thought.

“Mum, dad, I need to talk to you.”

Hugo stepped into his parents' room, more nervous than when he had accidentally broken his dad's lucky broomstick.

“What is it, love?” Hermione closed one of her many precious books and held her hands out to her son.

“Well, I've noticed some things, lately...” It was a little more difficult to form the words than he had imagined.

Ron looked down at his son in utter confusion. “Is your eye sight going bad? I told you this would happen, 'Mione. It's alright, son, just don't get glasses like your uncle Harry, then you'll look like a—OW!!” He quickly shut his mouth at his wife's sharp jab to his ribs.

“Go on, dear.” She encouraged her child.

“Well, it's...I mean...Um...” Hugo took a steadying breath and tried again. “You know how you told me that when I get older I'll start to notice girls?”

Suddenly, his dad's face lit up like a candle in a bonfire. “You've gotten a girlfriend! Is she a witch? What's her name? This is great! I've gotta call Ha—Oof!”

Hermione ignored her husband as he struggled to get the hexed pillow to stop beating him across the head. “Yes, we remember.”

This is it. It was now or never. Here goes... “Well, you were wrong...” He swallowed thickly as his father stilled to listen. “I like...boys.”

Hugo didn't want to think about that night, anymore. His mum had been great, if a little shocked. Once she found her words, she had hugged him and told him that there was nothing wrong with those feelings, but his dad reacted differently. For days, he didn't speak to Hugo, not even to say goodnight. He wouldn't look at his son and wouldn't sit near him. Devastated, Hugo ran off to his uncle Harry's and explained everything. There, he was accepted by everyone. There, he felt at home. There...he felt loved. He needed to return the favor to his wonderful uncle, now. He wanted his uncle to love again, and he would do everything in his power to make sure that happened.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Tell me why we're doing this again?”

Dominique straightened her skirt and peeked around the corner once again. “Louis asked us to. Besides, Rose and Fred have detention, and Molly and Lucy are studying.”

Roxanne sighed and peeked around the corner with her cousin. “Yea, but why do we always listen to Louis? Isn't it supposed to be _him_ listening to _you_? You _are_ older, you know.”

“You try going against the wishes of a male Veela, Roxie.” Male Veelas were as much a legend in wizarding society as they were in muggle. Normally, Veelas are more prone to have female children, and even if they do give birth to a boy, they don't often inherit any Veela tendencies. Louis is the first in over thousands of years.

“I guess.” Roxie mused quietly. “He's probably more Veela than you are. I mean, you get looks and attention, but he's definitely better at singing and – ow, hey!”

Dominique glowered at her cousin and quickly turned away to continue her look out. She never minded being second to her brother's powers; in fact, she was very proud of him, until someone points out her flaws. Rubbish, she _has_ no flaws! “Hmph.”

“Look!” Roxanne pointed in excitement as she caught sight of her cousin Hugo's paper airplane. “That's the sign! Now, where's Professor Clearwater? You asked her to meet us here, right?”

Before Dominique could answer, Penelope Clearwater stepped up behind them.

“I received your message, Ms. Weasley. You wanted some extra tutoring in Muggle Studies?”

_This was perfect!_ Roxanne cheered silently. _Professor Clearwater had gone to school with Uncle Percy, so Uncle Harry should know who she is and they'll get along just smashingly! Besides, she's smart, pretty, and has something in common with him: Muggles._ Roxie remembered all of the stories that she had heard about her Uncle Harry, how he had grown up with muggles who resembled trolls, how they had starved him and beaten him, making him think he was worth nothing. Horrid people. She turned her attention back to her task at hand as her cousin answered the Professor's question.

“Yes, Professor. I had a few questions about the last discussion and was wondering if you could explain some things in detail.”

They led the professor out into the courtyard where they 'just so happened' to run into Hugo and their uncle Harry.

The two adults stared at each other quietly, squinting their eyes and leaning toward one another. The Weasley kids could barely hold in their excitement. It was working! They're practically falling for each other right in front of everyone!

“Do I know you?” There was a loud, collective _smack!_ as the children's hands met their foreheads.

“I believe so.” Professor Clearwater rubbed her chin in thought. “I mean, of course I know you, who doesn't.” Harry sheepishly shrugged, holding back a sigh. “But I think we went to school together. You know Percy, right? We used to date.”

“Oh!” Harry nodded triumphantly. “I remember you. We heard a lot about you. Ginny would always...um...” The children flinched at the mention of his soon-to-be-ex-wife. Okay, this isn't going as planned anymore.

Dominique quickly took control of the situation. “Well, we'll leave you two to catch up, then.” She smiled as she ushered her cousins away quickly.

Hugo dramatically swiped his hand across his forehead. “Phew. Do you think they'll hit it off?”

Everyone's eyes bounced off of each other as if one of them knew a secret and they weren't sure who it was. None of them could answer, as they didn't know their Uncle Harry's type, and they knew next to nothing about their professor - other than how she had wanted to be the flying instructor, but of course that was Madam Hooch's job. That woman will live forever and never look a day over...however old she is.

Minutes later, their uncle rejoined them.

“What are you doing here? You were supposed to be--” Hugo clapped his hand over his mouth, staring in horror at his cousins.

“Supposed to be what?” Harry stared at his nephew curiously.

“Catching up with your old friend.” Dominique smoothly covered her cousin's error.

Harry shrugged. “We were never really _friends,_ I just knew who she was because she was always sno—erm...talking to Percy.”

“Well, no better time to form a new bond than now, right? You're in your prime after all!” Roxanne attempted to nudge her uncle back to the professor, but he wouldn't budge.

His eyes narrowed as he looked from one Weasley to the next. “What are you up to?” After a few minutes of silence and stolen glances, Harry sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “I don't really know anything about her, and all she likes to talk about is Quidditch. I love it and all, but there are more things to life than that. A broader conversation would be nice, but if I ever want to place a bet on a Quidditch match, I'll be sure to go find her.”

The children slouched in defeat, much to their uncle's confusion. He could definitely tell that something was going on, but he wasn't sure what. He'd have to keep an eye on these guys. With the Weasley blood running through their veins, it wouldn't be smart to turn a blind eye. Harry's determined to get to the bottom of this, but first he needed to spend time with his kids. “Where's James and the others?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Add the diced Mandrake Roots, stir counter clockwise fifteen times, then simmer. Albus ran his fingers through his hair – a habit he had picked up from his father - then attempted to smooth it back down. He had adopted the signature Potter mop hair from his dad, but he was constantly trying to tame it. His father had told him that he attempted the same when he was young, but learned that it just wasn't going to obey. Albus refused to give up. Sometimes, he wished he could just trade his hair with his brother James; at least _he_ had nice, smooth hair, even if he didn't want it.

Making potions always managed to calm him down, and he's been so stressed about his parents lately that he's been making several potions. As much as Albus would love to receive praise from his hero and namesake, Professor Severus Snape, he was just too afraid to be shot down by the man, so he'd never shown any of his work to the professor, and he wasn't going to start now.

There had been one particularly sad day in Potions when Scorpius had slipped something into the cauldron that Albus and Rose had been working with, and it exploded right in front of Professor Snape. Albus was humiliated. Not only had both of their houses lost points, but his hero now thought him inept. It was mortifying.

Albus shook his head. He would never be brave enough to show his work to Snape. Never in a thousand years.

Just as he finished his potion and bottled it up, his dad ran up to him and pulled him carefully into a hug. He was always careful around his youngest son when he had a potion in hand; the last thing he wanted to do was ruin his child's hard work.

“Dad!” Albus gently put down his potion and returned his father's embrace happily. “How long have you been here?”

“Not too long. What were you making?” Harry smoothed out his son's hair, knowing very well how much he hated it to be messy.

Albus looked down at his feet sheepishly. “I was just making a Restorative.”

His father's eyes grew as wide as his smile. “That's great! I _still_ can't even make something like that! Are you going to show Professor Snape? Where is he?” He didn't want to admit that he had come down to the dungeons looking for the Professor as well as his son.

The young Potter looked up at his dad in embarrassment. “I can't show him...”

“Why not?” Harry was confused. Albus should be proud of his accomplishments, then again, he can understand why he might be afraid to. Snape never was good at compliments; he would probably just shoot his son down. “Actually, don't answer that. How about I take it myself? If he thinks it's mine and says it's good, even you would have to admit it, right?”

The boy looked up at his father through his thick, unruly bangs. “Really?”

“Yea!” There was no way this wouldn't work. Albus hardly ever made mistakes with potions unless he was making his own up, so what would there be to criticize? “He's always hated me, so if he says it's good, it must be true!”

After a few seconds to mull the plan over, Albus nodded slowly. “Alright...but you have to tell me exactly what he says about it..even if it's...bad.”

Harry smiled down at his son, watching him wring his hands with worry. “It'll be fine. I'll come find you in the Great Hall for lunch, alright?”

After assuring his boy one more time, Harry headed off to his old professor's rooms, his stomach being attacked the whole way by a multitude of butterflies. It hadn't been that long ago that he had seen Snape – God did he look great... - but he couldn't help feeling nervous. _It'll be fine..._ He had to assure himself. _Maybe he'll be glad to see you!_ ...Yea right. Snape was _never_ glad to see him. Oh well, this is for his son. _I can do this. No problem..._ Even so, he nearly turned tail and ran once he reached the professor's rooms. Before he could find the courage to knock, however, the door opened.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It had been a particularly irritating day for Severus Snape, and he was determined to let it get to him. After all, if worse comes to worse, he could vent his anger on his students, but he was starting to regret letting the Potters go the previous night without at least issuing a detention. Well, there's always next time, and he was certain that there _would_ be a next time.

Severus was brooding over the conversation that he had overheard from the children when his wards alerted him to a presence just outside of his rooms. He waited for a moment, knowing that if it was a student they would lose their nerve and leave, and if it was a professor, they would simply knock, but whoever it was, did neither.

“This is grating on my nerves.” Severus spoke softly to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. Finally, he could stand it no more and threw open the door to his rooms, but to his surprise, it was neither a student nor a professor; it was Harry Potter.

His mind instantly went back to his award ceremony where he had last seen Potter. So, it hadn't been a trick of the mind, after all. He was really there. Severus wasn't sure what to make of that information. “Mister Potter.” He slowly drawled out his ex-student's name. That was always a sure way to have him shaking in his boots. _Or shaking with anger._ Ah yes, the infamous Potter anger. Some of his children inherited that as well.

“Professor Snape.” Potter nodded, attempting to suppress a grin. Why on earth would he smile while facing his most hated professor? Must be mockery.

That thought alone was enough to call forth the trade mark Snape Sneer. “To what do I owe this...pleasure?”

Potter quietly stood his ground and slowly gathered his courage to speak to his old professor, giving Severus ample time to study his _subject._ Potter had grown, that much was obvious, but he was still a good deal shorter than Snape. His hair remained a mess as it had been in his school days, his eyes still had their glint of defiance and he still had that toothy grin that he had sported growing up, but something about it changed. Before, a grin like that usually meant pride or trouble, but Severus could now see sincerity in the young man's look. His eyes had grown tired and he didn't seem as guarded as he had before. Yes, he had certainly grown up.

“May I come in?” He finally asked.

Snape considered slamming the door in the boy-- _man's_ face. He could have refused the offer of company or insulted him as he used to, but instead... “By all means.” He swept his hand in an overly grand gesture toward the sitting room and closed the door behind his guest.

Potter's grin turned to one of fascination as he glanced about Snape's quarters, drinking in a site that not many in the past nor the present had ever gotten a chance to see. Bookshelf lined walls, dark green sofa and arm chairs with black wood, dark mahogany desk and tables with silver handles, and only Snape himself knew what the many jars and containers scattered across the room held inside.

After giving Potter enough time to nose around, Snape cleared his throat and crossed his arms at his chest. “Care to explain your presence, Potter?”

The boy-- _man_ turned to the professor and genuinely smiled, confusing the older man to no end. “I wanted to see you.”

Snape blinked, speechless. Potter wanted to _see_ him? “If I'm not mistaken, Mister Potter, you spent many of your school days attempting to never see me again.” Potter turned his eyes to the floor and shrugged helplessly. “Why the sudden change?”

“It wasn't sudden, really.” His fingers played with a bottle in his hands. How had Snape missed that? He never missed anything!

“I see. You're in to poison me?” He nodded in the direction of the bottle.

Potter's eyes grew wide. “What?! Why would I--” His eyes followed the direction of his ex-professor's gaze and he relaxed. “Oh. No, this...it's just a potion. I was wondering if you'd give it a look and see how well it was made.”

“Ah. So _that_ is why you're here. I will not be your guinea pig, Mister Potter.”

“No, no! I didn't mean that!” He took a deep breath and continued, desperately trying to persuade Snape. “I would just like your thoughts on it. If it needs to be tested, I'll do it myself. It...it's a Mandrake Restorative Draught.”

Snape glared at the potion with suspicion. “Why should I believe you? You have every reason to want me dead, Potter. For all I know, that could be poison.”

“You're a potions master, Severus.” Snape quickly moved his glare up to Potter's gaze, hiding his surprise at being called by his first name. “You should be able to tell the difference.”

The sneer returned and Snape flicked his wand at the potion, carefully levitating it into his work room. “Very well, but you will regret ever stepping foot back in this school if it is an attempt at harming my being, Potter.”

Harry stood in the middle of the sitting room, uncertain as to what he should do while he waited for Snape to examine his son's potion.

“Potter!” The older man bellowed. “In my lab! Now! I will not have you nosing about my study without my supervision!” Harry smiled and happily joined his professor in the lab. Coming back was a good idea after all.


	4. The Heart Stirs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Severus have a moment, but is it enough to start a relationship with, or do they _need_ to sort out their priorities?

Harry quickly dashed into Snape's personal lab, attempting to keep his ex-professor in good spirits just long enough to test the potion.

The older man eyed Harry suspiciously before beginning his work. He'd have to be very careful while handling the potion; while it was highly unlikely that the boy -- _man_ had concocted a poison to be rid of the old dungeon bat of Hogwarts, Snape had learned long ago that it was always better to remain suspicious. Guilty until proven otherwise.

His eyes covertly watched Potter as he perused the shelves lining the walls of the lab. The boy had certainly grown into a handsome, young man, though he had always had his father's good looks; much as Severus wished to, that was a fact that he simply could not deny.

He watched as Harry's fingers brushed across mysterious vials as if he were caressing a lover, causing Severus to nearly forget what he was doing. Being around Potter had always been dangerous, but never more so than the present, as Harry was finally of age.. _If it wasn't for that damn Weasley girl..._ He cursed his luck silently. Then again, it wasn't as if Harry would have chosen him over the girl, even if he _had_ been interested in other men.

No, he needed to keep his mind on the business at hand. Severus bent down to continue his work, attempting for the hundredth time to ignore the other man. "Put it down Potter." He warned as Harry had picked up one of the more deadly filled vials to examine it closer. "we mustn't touch what isn't ours."

Severus' face twisted into one of dislike as he recalled the last person he had said such words to. That was just another of many memories that he did not wish to recall, though he supposed it was inevitable with the Boy-Who-Lived in his presence.

"I'm sorry." Harry apologized, stuffing his hands into his pockets in a boyish manner. Having apparently satisfied his curiosity of Snape's personal belongings, he turned to face the older man, a soft smile blessing his face.

The black clothed man tried his damnedest to finish his tests, but those alluring, emerald green eyes were distracting him past the point of concentration, causing him to give up with a frustrated sigh. "Is there something I can get you? You seem to be quite restless, and I cannot get any work done with you staring at me like that."

A blush crept across Harry's cheeks, bringing the word 'cute' to Severus' mind, which only seemed to make him more irritated. Severus Snape did _NOT_ think things were _cute_...Although...

Severus shoved back his work stool and exited the room, knowing full well that the other man would follow closely behind.

"Is there something wrong?" Harry asked, concern coating his words. "Come on, don't ignore me. We're both adults here..." Still, Snape continued to ignore the young Potter as he rummaged through his cabinets in the kitchen. "Severus--"

Quickly, the older man whirled around and pinned Harry against the kitchen island, leaning his hands against the surface of the counter as his eyes nailed Harry to the floor.

For a moment, Harry was sure that Snape was going to say something, but he remained silent apart from his slightly erratic breathing.

In a quick attempt to quail the problem before it escalated any further, Harry once again tried to apologize. "I'm sorry, I didn't come here to make you angry, I just..." His words trailed off as he met his ex-professor's eyes and instantly became lost in them.

It was as if time itself had stopped to torture the two of them into either confessing their true feelings or starting up a passionate, but brutal battle for dominance. Harry wasn't sure which one sounded more appealing to him, as they seemed to be one in the same.

"Severus..." He whispered, his breath nearly catching in his chest.

"Harry..."

The younger man felt his face grow warm at the way the other breathed his name, as if he had poured feelings of true love into them, but Harry knew that it just wasn't possible. However, if there was a chance...any chance at all...

Hoping that he wasn't making a mistake, Harry slowly slid his fingers up his old Potion Professor's chest, his eyes never leaving the other man's. 

Severus stared Harry down for several minutes as he struggled internally to regain control of his emotions, but the younger man's hands on his chest wasn't helping at all. He was beginning to grow afraid that his heart was beating just loud enough for Harry to hear, and he simply could not have that. The last thing he needed was to be ridiculed for his private feelings for the man.

Forcing himself out of the spell which he had placed himself in, Severus took Harry's hands gently into his own and removed them from his chest, causing his heart to ache at the loss. Ignoring the pain, he released the man's hands and stepped back, tearing his eyes away from those beautiful, green pools of emotion.

"Your potion is fine. In fact, it's probably the best thing I've ever seen you produce. Such being the case, I believe it safe to assume that it was not you, but your youngest child who concocted it. Am I correct?"

Finally broken from his trance, Harry nodded, trying his best to hide his disappointment. "Yes, Albus made it. He didn't want you to reject him, so I told him I'd show you myself. I figured if you said it was well made, even coming from a person you hated..."

Unable to stop the words before they were released, Severus quickly spoke up. "I never hated you, Mister Potter." He hid his shock at his sudden confession and decided to press on. "My poor treatment of you was necessary at the time."

Harry stared at his old professor, waiting for a biting remark to follow up the admission, but one never came. "You don't hate me..?"

Severus shook his head, avoiding making eye contact with the man again. "I never hated you. If you'll excuse me, I've work to attend to. I'm sure your children would like to spend time with you as well. Perhaps you'd better be off."

Without turning to see if he was being followed, Severus led the way to the door to his quarters and held it open, thanking Merlin that the hallway was empty.

Little did he know that Harry was also thankful for that fact, though for a completely different reason. "Thank you, Severus." He said quietly as he stepped up to the man. He paused for a moment, his eyes carving Snape's face into his memory. After hardly any hesitation, he lifted himself onto his toes, lightly held his balance by grasping onto Severus' shoulders, and placed a gentle kiss onto the older man's cheek. Suddenly feeling bashful, he leaned his head onto Snape's chest, rubbing his hands slowly down the man's body before finally stepping out into the hallway, leaving behind a stunned Severus Snape in his wake.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The weekend seemed to fly by quickly for Harry.

Snape seemed to be avoiding him at every turn, which was understandable. Harry hadn't even expected himself to do that. In fact, the younger man had stayed awake for hours the night after the incident, trying to figure out why he had kissed his old professor. Sure, it was only a kiss on the cheek, but he was positive that he would never have done something like that if he didn't have _feelings_ for the man. 

_Did_ he have feelings for Severus?

After thinking it over, he decided that he certainly had strong feelings for Snape, but he wasn't sure what to make of them. Knowing that the older man most likely had absolutely no love for him in return, Harry was met with the problem of whether or not it was something he should pursue.

On top of that, while his marriage had already been falling apart, he still believed that it was wrong to act on feelings for someone else while he was still legally married to Ginny. That was another thing he needed to mull over.

Should he end things before more feelings get hurt, or should he continue trying to talk to his wife to sort things out? He wasn't sure he really wanted to sort things out, if he were to be honest with himself. At the end of the day, she was cheating on him nearly every night, and that was simply unforgivable. He only hoped that his kids weren't taking it too hard. As smart as they all were, he had no doubt that they had all figured out what was going on for themselves.

To make matters worse, he seemed to constantly find himself in strange situations with the other professors at Hogwarts, which only made his stay more and more awkward by the minute. First, he was left alone with Professor Clearwater. He had never talked to her before, but for some reason, his children were under the impression that they would become fast friends. Then, they tried locking him into the Quidditch locker room with Madam Hooch, which he supposed wasn't too bad. He had always had a fondness for the professor, but as with Ms. Clearwater, he really wished for something to talk about that didn't always involve Quidditch. Perhaps they were simply trying to find him a shoulder to lean on.

He smiled at the thought, but he'd have to have a talk with the kids about it. Friends weren't always as easy to find for him. He needed loyalty and companionship, not just a random person with a few similar interests. 

As he stepped into the Great Hall for Sunday morning breakfast, Harry began to make his way to the Gryffindor table until he saw his other two children at the opposite end of the hall. While he felt most comfortable at the table of his own house, he couldn't neglect his other two kids just because they had been sorted somewhere else. To play it safe, he decided to approach the staff table.

Headmistress McGonagall smiled warmly at him and gestured for him to take the seat next to her. He nodded his thanks and accepted the offer without realizing who would be sitting on his other side. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Severus Snape worked hard to avoid making eye contact with the oldest Potter as he took a seat directly to Severus' left. He knew instantly that he was about to be in for one of the most difficult meals of his life, and that was certainly saying something.

Ever since the young man had kissed his cheek a couple of days before, he hadn't been able to get that feeling out of his head. He simply couldn't forget the man's soft touch or the way Potter's lips felt against his skin. It had been Heaven and Hell all in one short moment, and much to his dismay, he found himself wishing for another like it.

He couldn't stop the negative thoughts that were brought about by that night's actions, however. Perhaps the man was high on potion fumes; they _had_ been working on the potion only moments before. It was entirely possible, and Potter _would_ allow such a thing to happen to him.

Perhaps he was seeking comfort. After all, he was having problems in his personal life. It would have been completely understandable to seek comfort from someone who was familiar; then again, he could have looked elsewhere for it.

He just couldn't figure it out! _Why_ Severus, of all people!?

His eyes briefly chanced a glance over at Potter before returning to his own food. If he were to find out any answers, now would be his chance. Finally deciding on a discreet course of action, Severus stretched out his legs a bit, reclining just enough for his left leg to seemingly brush against Potter's right one unconsciously. He glued his eyes to his food, hoping that his slight movement wasn't too obvious.

Before he could decide to move back into his own space, he felt Potter's leg slowly brush up against his in a more purposeful fashion.

_That_ had _to be on purpose!_ He thought. 

His thoughts were quickly confirmed as he felt Potter's hand lightly rest against his thigh. Suddenly deciding he'd had enough, he quickly stood up and made a hasty exit, knowing that it wouldn't look too suspicious, as he was often seen leaving meals in such a manner.

He wracked his brains as he tried desperately to figure out what was going on. Harry Potter was _married_ , however unhappily, and yet he was practically _throwing_ himself at his old Potions Professor! Alright, so perhaps 'throwing' was too dramatic, but he was flirting, without a doubt! 

Did Potter even swing that way? Severus was completely unaware and at a loss for words. He certainly needed to get to the bottom of things, but first, he needed to calm down and think things through more. The last thing he wanted to do was jump to conclusions and make an absolute fool of himself. No, he was Severus Snape. He _always_ thought everything through. He would come up with an entire list of possibilities and decide on the most likely before approaching Potter with any accusations.

That being said, he still couldn't help the light flutter in his chest as he secretly hoped that Potter was finally feeling the same way that he himself had over all those years.

He snorted in derision and shook his head. Improbable.

Deciding to push those thoughts aside for later, he returned to his rooms to draw up lesson plans for the following week. He had other more pressing matters to attend to. This would have to wait. Unfortunately.


	5. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ginny confronts Harry.

"You could have at LEAST left me a note, Harry!"

Severus froze in his tracks.

"Ginny..."

"Don't ' _Ginny_ ' me! You could have owled me! You could have told mum or even Ron! Anyone! You can't just disappear like that!"

_Ginerva Weasley?_ Severus stood glued to the floor as he listened to the ensuing argument, all thoughts of his nightly rounds forgotten.

"You're right, I'm sorry." 

_What?! Potter is just going to let that gold-digging chit talk to him like that?!_ Snape fumed silently.

"Harry, you never THINK before you do anything! I'm so tired of this!"

_Damn it Potter, SAY SOMETHING!_

"Gin, calm down--"

"I will NOT calm down! Do you know how WORRIED I was?!"

Unable to control himself any longer, Severus made to step in between the unstable couple, when another voice chimed in, again stopping him in his tracks.

"You're one to talk."

There was silence for a long moment before Severus realized who the voice belonged to.

"James, you shouldn't talk to your mother like that."

_James Potter, ever the little hero._ Snape scoffed.

"Some mother." Another voice added.

"Lily!" Harry admonished.

"You're destroying this family." Came the easily recognizable voice of young Albus Potter.

"We love you, mum. We always will..but we can't let this continue." Lupin's boy spoke up, standing with his adopted father and siblings.

"What the hell is going on here, Harry...?" Ginerva sounded as if she was shaking with anger and hurt. _Good._ Severus couldn't help but think. "You turned our children against me..?"

"No! He didn't, it was YOU who--"

James grew silent as his father finally stepped up to the plate. "Ginny, I can't do this anymore." Snape listened intently, surprised that Harry's voice sounded so strong and sure. Surely he must be a wreck inside.."I can't be with you."

"What do you mean?" Ginerva asked, hurt dripping from each word. "Are you...do you love someone else..?" 

Severus' heart nearly stopped beating as he anticipated Harry's answer. 

There was an extremely long silence before he finally spoke again. "Goodbye, Ginny." He paused again as he waded through Ginerva's break down, only continuing when she grew quiet enough for him to be heard. "I'll stay here until we get things settled."

"But Harry, I love you..."

"Ginny..." All within ear shot knew that Ginerva Weasley was only with Harry Potter for the fame and attention, but no one had the heart to voice it, not even Severus Snape. "Kids, you should get to bed before you're caught roaming around after hours."

Snape quickly slipped into the shadows of the hallway to avoid getting caught eavesdropping by the children.

"Is dad gonna be alright?" Albus whispered quietly as they passed Snape's hiding place.

"Yea. She'll be fine as well." Teddy reassured his siblings. "Adults are very resilient."

"Do you think she'll be mad at me for what I said?" James asked his brother, tears shining in the moonlight as they painted his cheeks.

"She'll just be mad that she was caught." Lily answered before Teddy could. _Nothing like her grandmother..._ Snape couldn't help thinking. _At least not on the Potter's side..._ Everyone knew that Molly Weasley could get quite snippy under the right circumstances.

The four young voices gradually trailed off as they continued down the hallway to their respective dorms, leaving Severus alone with the broken couple once again.

"I can't believe it..." His attention returned to the two adults still left inside. "I can't believe you're doing this to me."

Snape rolled his eyes. _Ever the dramatic one._

"Ginny, you've always been a free spirit. We should have known that this wouldn't last, not when you should be out enjoying life and having fun. I'll take care of the kids and the house. Go have your fun." 

_Nicely done, Potter. Leave her with nothing but her 'free spirit,' as you so aptly put it._

There was a silence for a moment before Harry's voice rang out into the hallway. "Ginny, don--!" 

Sounds of a scuffle broke out inside, causing Snape to relinquish his spot in the shadows and burst into the room. "What's going on in here?!" He demanded, as if he had only just arrived by chance.

There on the ground was Ginerva Weasley, straddling Potter and pinning him to the floor. Snape's eyebrow raised as he attempted to maintain his calm - and hide the irritated twitch in his eye at seeing this red-headed hussy riding his-- Snape rubbed his forehead in frustration. _I must not think of him as mine. He will_ never _be mine._

"Mister Potter, perhaps your own quarters might be more suitable for such...activities." Snape suggested, hoping he didn't sound like a jealous school boy.

Potter's face turned six shades of red as he began to finally realize what his current situation looked like to his old professor. "I--this...Professor, we aren't-- that is to say..."

"Ugh!" Ginny jumped off of her soon-to-be-ex-husband and made a hasty exit, not even bothering to hide her shame and humiliation. 

Snape turned to make his own way out when Potter called out to him quietly. "Severus..."

Harry's broken voice pulled at Severus' heart strings immediately. Turning back to the young man, Snape tried to hold a glare in place as his eyes fell on his ex-student, but it easily melted away as he was faced with hurt and betrayal. He had seen that look before, and it had always been directed at him. He felt relief wash over him as he thanked Merlin that he wasn't the recipient this time; he wasn't sure he would be able to handle that look again. Never again.

Without realizing what he was doing, Snape kneeled down and softly brushed his fingers across Harry's cheek, their eyes locking in an intense, yet soft gaze. "Harry..."

Severus could feel the heat coming from Harry's skin as a blush covered the young man's features. Unable to gain control of himself, Snape stroked the back of his long, calloused fingers across Harry's cheek continuously, as if he could brush away the pain. He trailed his fingers slowly down Harry's neck, his own heart responding to the other man's quickened pulse. He realized then how close they had become. If either of them leaned any closer, their lips would meet, and Severus wasn't sure if he would be able to stop there, not with how heated he was already becoming. Just one more inch and his lips would be pressed against Potter's. Just one more inch...one centimeter...

"Dad, I forgot to ask if you--"

Both men jumped apart quickly as if they were suddenly electrocuted. Without another word, Snape pulled himself gracefully back to his feet and left the room, his robes snapping behind him as if to deny that he was ever there.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Teddy watched his Potions professor flee from the room like a dog caught rummaging through the trashcan. What in the world had he just witnessed..? "Um.."

Harry's eyes were downcast, obviously upset that he had been interrupted.

"Sorry about that..I didn't mean to burst in." Harry avoided eye contact as the younger Potter approached his father's place on the floor. "Did something happen?"

"It's alright." The older man answered softly. "Your mum got a little upset and Snape came in to make sure things were alright."

" _Are_ you alright?"

Harry smiled softly at his oldest son, once again finding that he was a true Lupin through and through. "I'm alright."

Teddy took a seat next to his father and pulled his legs up to chis chest in thought. "Are you gay?"

Harry suddenly found himself in a coughing fit, stealing his ability to answer his son's ever so blunt question.

"I'll take that as a 'yes.'" Teddy smiled.

The older Potter glanced over at his son nervously before he realized that he had nothing to worry about. After all, they had all supported Hugo when he had come out, but that was different! Hugo clearly was into other boys, while Harry...

"Did you ever love mum?"

"Of course I did." Harry sighed. "And I've never liked men before...I mean, well..I guess I haven't liked _other_ men before.."

"So, Professor Snape is your type?"

_Why is he so blunt?!_ Harry's mind flew a mile a minute as he desperately tried to fish for answers. "I guess? I don't know, I've never been into another bloke before."

"How do you feel when you see him?" Teddy pulled a fresh chocolate bar out of his robes and passed it to his father without a second thought. When he was young, he had been told that his birth father had always had chocolate on hand to calm people's spirits. In that respect, he wished to be just like him, and so he also adopted the habit.

Harry smiled and accepted the candy, popping a piece into his mouth with a warm familiarity. "I feel relieved." Harry's smile grew as his old professor's glare reached the surface of his thoughts. "Even when he's angry with me, I feel safe. I feel like I could talk to him about anything, even if he'll just insult me for it. Even when he's yelling at me or comparing me to your grandfather, I just get this urge to...to..."

"Kiss him?"

A laugh escaped Harry as he leaned back in thought. "Yea. Kiss him. It's strange isn't it? I must be a masochist or something." He probably shouldn't be talking about that kind of stuff with his son, but he couldn't help it. Talking to Teddy was like talking to Professor Lupin all over again. It was comforting and it made him see truths that he hid even from himself. "When I was your age, the only feeling I got from him was hatred. When I saw him I wanted to cast a hex on him over and over again until he was put in his place."

"When did that change?" 

Harry thought about it for a moment before answering. When _did_ that change? "I'm not sure." He admitted. "Maybe it was after seeing his memories. He was never a bad guy like I had thought, but a good guy who was treated horribly." That just sounded like pity. "Actually, I think it was even before then. Way before then. Back when I first saw him, he made me feel little bolts of static electricity all throughout my body. Back then I thought it was fear or loathing that I was feeling, but now I realize it was probably where my crush started.."

"If only you had known that back then." Teddy liked that his dad could talk to him so easily, it made him feel like a big part of the family.

"Nah." Harry smiled as his oldest son looked up at him in surprise. "I wouldn't have been able to give you siblings to play with if I hadn't ever been with your mum. You might have been lonely then.." He smiled as he gazed out the window a the night sky, satisfied that he was finally voicing his feelings for Severus Snape. "It was worth it, but now I can try to move on. Maybe make something of this." He glanced back over at his son with a grin. "What do you think?"

Teddy returned the playful grin and patted his dad's knee. "You haven't got a chance."

Harry laughed and playfully pulled his son into a sleeper hold. Yea, he was definitely glad that he had finally come out to someone about his feelings, and he was starting to get the impression that Snape might possibly feel the same way. Then again, Harry was known for blowing things out of proportion and fitting things into his own views rather than seeing things for what they truly were. Perhaps he was only imagining Snape's advances simply because he deeply wished for it. He supposed that all he could do was wait and see what would happen.

First, though, he would make his divorce with Ginny final. If he was going to pursue a relationship with Snape, he wanted to do it the right way..which meant talking to his other kids about it...


End file.
